Glossary of Japanese Car and License Terms
The Japanese words you will meet on a leasing application, at the license centre, and at the city office — what each one means and where it comes up.
Japanese application forms rarely translate themselves. These are the terms you will actually meet, grouped by where you meet them.
At the license centre
外免切替 — gaimen kirikae Converting a foreign driving license into a Japanese one. Literally “foreign license switch”. The procedure changed on 1 October 2025.
知識確認 — chishiki kakunin The written knowledge check for license conversion. Since October 2025 it is 50 questions, and you can sit it in English.
技能確認 — ginō kakunin The practical driving check, taken on a closed course. Separate from the standard driving test, and waived for licenses from certain countries.
運転免許試験場 — unten menkyo shikenjō The license centre. This is where conversion happens — not at a police box or city office.
国際運転免許証 — kokusai unten menkyoshō International driving permit. Valid for one year, and not accepted for any multi-year lease.
At the city office
住民票 — jūminhyō Your residence record. Proof of your registered address, obtained from your city or ward office. License conversion requires a specific version showing nationality and residence status, issued within the last six months.
在留カード — zairyū kādo Your residence card. Carries your residence status and its expiry date. The expiry date is the single most important thing on it for anyone considering a lease — see the eligibility check.
実印 — jitsuin A personal seal registered with your city office. Used instead of a signature on significant contracts, including vehicle registration.
印鑑登録証明書 — inkan tōroku shōmeisho The certificate proving that a seal is your registered one. Requested alongside the seal itself.
Getting the car registered
車庫証明 — shako shōmei Parking space certificate. Formally 自動車保管場所証明書. You prove to the police that you have somewhere to keep the car before you can register it. No parking space, no car — this catches people who assumed they would work it out later.
名義 — meigi The registered owner. On a lease, the vehicle stays in the leasing company’s name, not yours. This matters when you come to sell, modify or export it: you cannot.
軽自動車 — kei jidōsha Light vehicle class, under 660cc, identifiable by yellow number plates. Lower tax, lower insurance, cheaper to run — and the cheapest entry point in most leasing catalogues.
Costs you will meet
車検 — shaken The compulsory vehicle inspection. A new passenger car is first inspected after three years, then every two years. It is expensive and it is not optional. Most leases and subscriptions include it; buying a car does not.
自賠責保険 — jibaiseki hoken Compulsory liability insurance. Legally required, tied to the vehicle, and covers injury to others only. It does not cover your car, your passengers’ belongings, or property damage.
任意保険 — nin’i hoken Voluntary insurance. Called “optional”, but the compulsory cover is thin enough that nobody sensible drives without this too.
自動車税 — jidōshazei Annual vehicle tax, billed in spring, based on engine size.
自動車重量税 — jidōsha jūryōzei Weight tax, paid at inspection time and based on how heavy the vehicle is.
ETC The electronic toll system. An ETC card and an in-car reader let you pass toll gates without stopping, usually at a discount.
On a leasing contract
カーリース — kā rīsu Car lease. A multi-year contract, typically three to seven years, with a fixed monthly payment.
残価設定 — zanka settei Residual value. The car’s assumed worth at the end of the contract, deducted in advance to lower your monthly payment. If the car is worth less than assumed when you return it, you may be charged the difference — check whether your contract does this.
連帯保証人 — rentai hoshōnin Joint guarantor, or co-signer. Someone who takes on the debt if you stop paying. Some providers require this person to be a Japanese national.
審査 — shinsa The credit assessment. Every leasing company runs one and none publishes its criteria.
中途解約 — chūto kaiyaku Early termination. Ending a lease before its term, normally at significant cost. The reason a monthly rental suits anyone unsure how long they will stay.
マンスリーレンタカー — mansurī rentakā Monthly rental car. Rented by the month rather than leased for years, and the route that does not ask how long is left on your visa.